The Great War : A combat history of the first world war

Summary: "The First World War altered the nature of warfare, and by so doing changed the landscape of the modern world. Peter Hart provides a masterful combat history of this global conflict, focusing on the decisive engagements and exploring the challenges faced by the commanders on all sides. He surveys the belligerent nations, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and strategic imperatives. He shows that there was no easy way to victory for either of the great power blocks, and that the decisions of military commanders were based on the information they had at the time. "The Great War" concentrates on the Western and Eastern fronts, where the battles more often had the potential-in theory, at least-to end the war; but it also explores important peripheral events, such as the war at sea, the fighting in Mesopotamia and Palestine, and the Italian front. Sweeping in scope and exhibiting a depth of research and narrative dexterity, this is an essential single-volume account of the events of 1914-1918.